§ Mr. Freudasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations he has received in respect of the Arts Council's refusal of grant to the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. ChannonThe right hon. Member for Huyton (Sir H. Wilson) has sent me a copy of a petition to the Arts Council. I have also had letters from other hon. Members and from members of the public. Decisions on individual grants are a matter for the Arts Council and I know that it gave a great deal of thought to this case, but decided on artistic grounds that it could not offer a grant to the company.